Check-rower for corn-planters



(No Model.)

C. S. HOWARD.

CHECK RCWBR FCR CORN PLANTBRS. No. 350,591. VPatented Oct. 12, 1886.

N. PEYERS. Pbommmgnphar. wzshingmn, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE6 OHAFIN S. HOWARD, OF MONROE, LINN COUNTY,IOWA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,591,7datea october12, 188e.

Application filed March 24', 1886. Serial No. 196,348. (No model.)v

To all whom t may concern/.-

Beit known that I, CHAEIN S. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States,residing in Monroe township, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements iu Check Bowers forCorn- Planters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a check'row attachment forcorn-planters which shall be simpler and cheaper than thosein generaluse, and which shall be durable and effective in operation.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and adaptationof devices to the ends in view, as fully set forth and described herein.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure l is a plan view of the invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged sideelevation of the operative parts thereof', and Figs. 3 and 4 the detailof the check-wire and button. l A

Similar letters ofl reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents an arm adapted to connect withone cf the beams of the planter I. The outer end has lateral extensions,and to these are attached guidelugs D D; or the lugs may be castintegral with and form a part of the arm'. Somewhat back from the end ofthe arm is moimted so as to revolve in a horizontal planeasprocket-wheel,

B, having four radial armg'b b a a, rising from the upper face of thewheel. These arms are preferably curved in the manner indicated, and areprovided with a flaring notch, as shown. The lower part of the Wheelforms a gear, meshing with the pinion E, which is just half the sizeofthe former, so that a quarter-revolution of the sprocket-Wheel producesa half-revolution of the pinion. The pinion is provided with awrist-pin, e, to which is journaled the rod F, connecting With theseed-slide G. To the end o f the arm A is secured a check-wire guide andguard-iron,O, the ends of which are bell-mouthed, so as to admit freelythe check- Wire `b and its buttons c. Between the ends the inner side ofthe guard-iron is hollowed out to `conform to the periphery of thesprocketY wheel B, and is set so close thereto as to prevent the wirefrom getting between them and out of engagement with the arms a a. Inone side of the terminal rings of this guardliron is a slot to receivethe Wire, and to prevent the Wire from escaping from the rings the innerhorn of the guide-lugs DD should extend up to 1or above the slot.

The operation of the device will now be clearly seen by reference toFig. 1. planter passes along the wire in the direction indicated bythearrow, a button engages with the forward arm a, just back of the mouthof the guard-iron, and turns the sprocket'wheel to the position shown,when the button passes through the rear ring, and the wheel remainsstationary until the next button is reached. The movement hasmade a fullstroke of the connecting-rod F, and thus dropped the required quantityof corn. It will be seen that the movement will always be precisely thesame, as the guard-iron tends to hold the but- As the' ton in engagementwith the arm of the sprocket-wheel up to a certain point, regardless ofany kinks in the wire or other circumstances calculated to vary themotion.

In practice I use a spherical button, and regard it as rather essentialin connection with this device. The construction of this button and themanner of attachment to the wire are' illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, inWhichthe former represents a section of the button iu the plane of theaxis of the pin t', and the latter a section transverse thereto. Throughthe center of the button in one direction extends a slot wide enough toreceive the hooked ends of the wires b b. In the opposite direction, andthrough these liooks,passesthe pin t', locking them t0- gether. Toprevent the hooks from slipping out of the button back of the pin anoffset is formed in the slot, as shown. tion leaves the button quitespherical, and therebysecures its easy and smooth passage through thecheck-row attachment. Its construction is also comparatively simple andrapid.

The whole device, as described above, is very simple and cheap, may beeasily attached to the ordinary cornplanters, and has been found toperform the work required of it perfectly.

Having thus briefly described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure loyy Letters Patent, is*

l. In a check-rowI attachment for corn-plant- ICO ers, the guard-iron C,having openings at each end for the passage of the check-wire, and oneside hollowed to correspond with the periph ery of the sprocket-wheel B,and set close to said sprocket-wheel, whereby the Wire is prevented fromdisengagihg from said wheel at any point, and t-l'e limit of the strokeof the Wheel is determined, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a check-row attachment for eorn-planters, the combination of thedescribed guardiron C, sprocket-wheel B, mounted and in relation to thegnardiron, as specified, and a pinion, E, one-half the revolution ofwhich corresponds with that portion of the revolution of thesprocket-wheel made in passing between the point of engagement with thebutton of the check-wire and the point of disengagement, `as determinedby the guardiron, substantially `as set forth. Y

3. The combination of the Wire-guide and guard-iron C, havingbell-rnouthed rings at the vends with an `opening therein to receive theWire, the guide-lugs D D, the inner horn oi4 which extends up to orabove the opening in the ring to prevent the escape of the wire, and thesprocketwheel, all substantially and for the purpose set forth.

4. In ael1eck-row attach ment for corn-planters7 the check-wire composedof hooked links b b, the spherical ball or button c, having the offsetslot corresponding with the eXtreme width of the wire loop, and the pini. whereby the loops may be inserted in the button endwise 'fromopposite directions, and are held in position by the pin in front andthe offset at the back of the loop,l substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHAFN S. I-OVVARD.

Witnesses: y

FRaNK G. CLARK, G. G. VATTERS.

